How to Write a Thank You Email After a Job Interview
The competition in the job market has become more fierce. As more people opt not to work abroad, you must be more strategic during job hunting. One way to get noticed is by sending a thank you email after a job interview. This approach showcases your commitment towards the organisation you are applying for. This guide will give tips on expressing gratitude and helping you write a compelling post-interview email.
- Importance of sending a thank you email after a job interview
- Why send a thank you email after a job interview?
- When to send a thank you email
- What to include in a thank you email
- How to write a thank you email after an interview
- Follow-Up Strategies
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Thank you email vs thank you letter
- 5 Examples of a good post-interview thank you emails
- Conclusion
- FAQs
Importance of sending a thank you email after a job interview
Whether you're an experienced professional or a fresh graduate, sending a thank you note after interviews is crucial. This shows your sense of gratitude and determination. It sets you apart from other candidates as you showcase your attention to detail through your writing. It also expresses your genuine excitement for the opportunity.
Consider the following when writing your post-interview email:
- Timing
- Content
- Follow-up strategies
- Mistakes to avoid
- Differences between a note and an email
Why send a thank you email after a job interview?
Shows appreciation
Sending a short thank you email after interviews shows that you value the interviewer's time. When you thank the speaker, you show that you have good manners and know how to act in a meeting, which leaves a positive impression.
Keeps you top of mind
Following up with a thank you email helps you stay fresh in the interviewer's mind. Sending a thank-you note enables you to stand out among other candidates. It keeps your name at the forefront of the interviewer's thoughts during decision-making.
Sums up your qualifications
You can use the post-interview letter as a follow-up to your job interview that will summarise the reasons why you are a good fit for the position.
Answers questions
You may have concerns that you weren't able to address during the interview. You can do this when you send your thank you email. Clarify anything mentioned during your interview that you are unsure of. You may even provide more information if you were not able to flesh out something during your interview.
When to send a thank you email
Timing is important
Some employers may take a while to give you feedback. A thank you note after a job interview can remind the company that you’re in the running for the position. When deciding when to send a thank you email, you should consider the hiring timetable, the nature of the position you're looking for, and the company's culture.
Same day vs next day vs within a week
The strategic timing of your thank you email can influence the outcome of the hiring decision. For optimal results, send your thank you email within 24 hours of your interview to show your interest and enthusiasm for the opportunity.
A good argument for sending your letter the next day is if the meeting ended very late. It will show that you respect their working hours and that they could can on you to be professional.
If you need more time, send your post-interview email within a week of your interview.
Factors to consider when deciding on the timing
If your interviewer says they will hire within a few days, send your thank you email as soon as possible. But if the interviewer didn't give a timeline regarding their hiring decision, you may have more flexibility on when to send your thank you email.
What to include in a thank you email
Include the following to leave a good impression on your interviewer:
Personalised greeting
Address the interviewer by name, and follow with an appropriate anecdote related to your interview to help them remember who you are.
Express gratitude
Be specific about why you are thanking them. It can be as simple as making time to meet you. You can also thank them for the opportunity to learn more about their company or even the role.
Reiterate and highlight
Let them know that you are interested in the job and highlight specific qualifications and skills that make you a strong candidate for the job. Briefly explain how you have demonstrated these qualities in your past work experience.
Address concerns or questions
If your interviewer asked you about something you needed more time to answer, include it in your thank you email. Give enough background to remind them about the particular question.
Close with a call to action.
Finish your email with a solid call to action. This will encourage the reader to take the next steps in the hiring process. They might request information like a portfolio or character references.
How to write a thank you email after an interview
Use proper grammar and spelling
Show your attention to detail by ensuring that the email you are sending after your interview is well-written. Use writing tools to help catch minor syntax or grammatical errors.
Avoid generic language
Generic language like "Thank you for your time" or "I enjoyed learning more about the company" can come across as insincere. Be specific. Mention details connected to your interview or a particular aspect of the position discussed.
Customise your email for each recipient
If multiple people interviewed you, send each one a separate thank you email appropriate to each person's role. This kind of effort shows your appreciation for their contribution to your interview process.
Be professional
Balance expressing your gratitude and maintaining a professional tone when writing your thank you email. To communicate well with potential employers, avoid informal language or using emojis. Keep the topic of your email focused on the company and the job opportunity. Pay attention to the medium of the interview whether it is a video interview or a phone interview.
A phone interview is usually a quick interview that an HR representative will conduct to discuss quick details of your future employment before proceeding to an interview with the hiring manager. The hiring manager will oversee your interview from the first to the last call so being professional is very important.
Follow-Up Strategies
When to follow up
Wait a few days before sending a follow-up to your thank you email. Depending on the company's hiring timeline and the interviewer's availability, you may follow up within a week or two of your thank you email.
How to follow up
After waiting a few days for their reply to your email, you can choose between following up with another email or calling them up. Whichever method you choose, be courteous when you ask them for an update on their hiring process.
What to do if you don't hear back
There are many reasons why employers take time to respond. If you have yet to get a response within two weeks after you sent your first thank you email after your job interview, it will be safe to assume that you were not shortlisted.
In this case, moving on and focusing your job search efforts elsewhere is highly recommended. It's best to place eggs in different baskets to give yourself the best chance at finding the right job for you.
Common mistakes to avoid
Sending a generic email
While sample letters and templates are available, your personalised message is still better. A generic thank you email can appear robotic and insincere. Familiarise yourself with business etiquette and the nuances of writing business letters and craft a concise and appropriate one.
Focusing too much on yourself
While it's important to highlight your qualifications and skills in your thank you email, it's equally important to tell them what you can do for them. Do extensive research on the company to be specific about how you can contribute to its bottom line.
Being too informal or casual
While you want to come across as friendly and approachable in your thank you email, it's important to maintain a professional tone. Avoid using slang or worse, emojis. Make sure you address the interviewer by their formal title (e.g., Mr. or Ms.).
Forgetting to proofread
Before sending your email, proofread it carefully for any mistakes. Ask someone you trust to give your email a once-over. Make sure that you have the correct addressee information.
Thank you email vs thank you letter
There are two ways you can say thank you after your job interview. You can email or give a physical thank you letter. Both options are acceptable and they each have their benefits and disadvantages that you need to consider when deciding which one to send.
Via email
If you had a virtual job interview, sending a thank you email is more appropriate. This option is also faster, allowing you to thank your interviewers immediately.
The disadvantage of emailing is that it can get lost in the recipient’s inbox. Sometimes, it might end up in their spam folder, and they never even find out about it.
Physical letters (Personalised thank you note)
Send a physical letter to thank your interviewers if the organisation is more conventional. This is a more formal way to express your appreciation for their time and contribution to your application process.
There are many advantages to sending an actual letter rather than one via email.
First, since receiving letters by post has become a rarity, you become more memorable to your interviewers. Second, the chances of your letter being opened and read is much higher than when an email arrives at someone’s virtual inbox.
Lastly, there are no spam filters for your physical letter. This guarantees that your letter gets delivered to your interviewers. The downside of this option is that it will take much longer to get delivered however it will stand out as a unique expression of gratitude.
Whether you send a physical letter or an email to say thank you after your job interview, the important thing is that you convey your appreciation to your interviewers. Keep your thank you message brief and include an offer to be available in case they need more information after your interview.
5 Examples of a good post-interview thank you emails
Traditional Thank You Email
After expressing gratitude for your time with the interviewer, this email details your credentials to show your suitability for the role that you interviewed for.
Dear [Name of Interviewer],
Thank you for making time to meet with me today. It was a pleasure to receive more information about the more [position] role at [company name].
After our meeting, I am convinced that my experience with [provide details] will be an advantage to your team. I believe that with your goal to [name goal], my skill [name skills] in the field of [name area] will help [name result] for your organisation.
I look forward to hearing about the next steps in your company’s hiring process. If you have further queries regarding my application, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Regards, [Your Name]
Short Thank You Email
This is an informal email that goes directly to the point while mentioning important details.
Hello, [Name of Interviewer], and thanks for meeting with me today.
Our conversation about the [designation] position at [company] was very helpful. I feel that my [number] years as a [designation] makes me a really good fit for the role.
If there is anything further that I need to provide you with in order to move my application to the next step, please let me know. Hope to hear from you soon.
All the best,
[Your Name]
The follow-up email after your initial Thank You Email
It is advisable to wait about a week to send this email. This is meant as a reminder to your interviewer that you’re still waiting to hear from them after emailing them to say thank you for your job interview. It is professional and polite, to express your continued interest in the position you applied for.
Dear [Name of Interviewer],
Last [date], I had an interview with you for the [position] role with [company]. I am writing to express my continued interest in the opportunity to be part of your team and would like to inquire about the status of my application.
My knowledge of [skill or qualification] will be beneficial to your team, as you work towards [mention goal or vision]. Please let me know if there are other requirements or further information you need me to provide to help your team decide on my suitability for the position.
Thank you and I hope to hear from you soon.
Best regards, [Your Name]
Thank You email for a group interview
If you're sending your thank you email after a group interview, mention specifics and details that are very particular to you. This will show that you are determined to get noticed and singled out from the group of interviewees.
Dear [Name of Interviewer],
I would like to thank you and your team for taking the time to meet me today. The information and insights that you gave me regarding the [designation] position in [company] were quite helpful.
Our discussion was informative and engaging, and I appreciated the chance to meet with each team member. I was particularly interested in the [project or initiative] you mentioned, and my experience with [skill or qualification] would be a valuable asset to this initiative.
Thank you again for your time and consideration. Please keep me updated on the status of my application, and please let me know if there is any additional information or qualifications I can provide.
Sincerely, [Your Name]
Thank You email with additional information example
Reinforce your qualifications through this kind of thank you email, and give information that complements what you discussed during your interview. If the interviewer specifically asked for the information you are providing in this email, refresh their memory by giving them a background of why you are sharing this information with them.
Dear [Name of Interviewer],
Thank you for meeting with me last [date] to discuss the [position] at [company]. It was great to know more about the job's responsibilities and the expectations of the person filling the role.
I am following up to give you some more information that you might find helpful. During the interview, we talked about my experience with [skill or qualification], but I felt the need to give examples of how I had used this skill in my former work.
This includes several projects that I couldn't go into a little detail about during our meeting. My experience could offer a niche but relevant approach to the [Position] role. I attached references and examples of my work to this email.
I hope this information is helpful to you, and I hope to hear from you soon. Again, thank you for your time and thought.
Best regards, [Your Name]
Conclusion
Sending a thank you email after your job interview is necessary, especially if you want to leave a good impression on your interviewers. It will show your professionalism, as well as your appreciation for your interviewer’s time and effort.
A well-written thank you email is short, free of typographical and grammatical errors, and sent within 24 hours after your interview. Personalise the thank you email as much as possible, and keep the tone professional but friendly. End with a clear call to action to show your enthusiasm for the post.
Do take note of interesting bits of the conversation you had in your interview and incorporate them to notify and show the interviewer your ability to pay attention to detail. With a thank you email after an interview, you will stand out and showcase a thoughtfulness that not many candidates would show.
FAQs
- What if I don't have the interviewer's email address?
One way to get the email address of your interviewer is by getting in touch with the person from the Human Resources department who arranged your interview schedule. Another option is calling up the receptionist of the company and inquiring if they can provide you with the email address of your interviewer.
- Can I send a thank you email to multiple interviewers?
Definitely. You can send one email will all the names of the people who interviewed you in one email. Another option is sending each interviewer an individual email. If you are doing the latter, personalise the thank you email as much as possible.
- Should I send a thank you email if I didn't feel the interview went well?
Even if you felt that the interview did not go so well, send a thank-you email anyway. Sending a thank you email in this situation could help improve the outcome of your interview. It shows your enthusiasm and persistence, both traits that will contribute to your success at work.
- Can I send a thank you email from my personal email address?
For as long as your personal email address looks professional, you can send that thank-you email using that email address. However, if your personal email address does not come across as businesslike, create one using your complete name, or close iterations from it, from an email provider that many people are familiar with like Gmail or Yahoo.
- How long should my thank you email be?
Thank you emails should be short, usually consisting of three paragraphs–the greeting, body, and closing. The greeting and closing can have one to two sentences, while the body can have a maximum of five sentences. Keeping your thank you email after your job interview short is another way to show that you are considerate of your interviewer’s time.
